Gacha Kingdom Building-Chapter 276 - 276: Maintenance

I lay down atop a small hill, beneath the shade of a large tree, hiding from the sunlight under its rustling leaves.
A few meters ahead of me stood Mia and Elizabeth.
The Demon Queen trained her [Earth Magic], creating a giant looping staircase of stone and dirt.
Meanwhile, the Snow White Wolves Chieftainess trained her legs and running ability by climbing as fast as she could.
Each step of hers, controlled as they were, caused the stone to break and the wind to disperse.
Loud bangs resulted, alongside sudden, strong wind streams.
Still, absurdly fast and powerful as Mia was, Elizabeth hardly felt challenged, and the staircase never failed to meet Mia's next step.
Isabella: "I thought the whole point of doing things efficiently was that you got to do more things."
Miwen: "Who taught you that? The point is that you get more time to laze around."
Isa lay behind me, her hands messing with my head as I rested against her lap and her carefree smile illuminating the scene in place of the sun.
Initially, the plan was for just Mia, Liz, and me to train together, but we were spotted by an unoccupied Isabella, who insisted on joining.
Furthermore, she insisted on having the best spot for herself.
My spot.
Naturally, I objected, and chaos ensued.
It was silly.
Neither of us cared that much about the shade.
However, it was nice to bicker a little, if only for how she revealed that childish, selfish side of hers that she's learned to keep hidden.
A side that I liked, as it kept her away from pure cold cynicism and the scheming nature of the Umbral Queen.
Even so...
While important tools in her arsenal, that wasn't who she was.
Nor who I wanted her to be.
After fighting so hard to avoid that fate, I was proud to see how she conciliated both aspects, cunningly suggesting that we share the shade by offering me a lap pillow.
Through her carefree smile, I saw a girl who believed herself to have gotten the better end of the deal, believing I wouldn't notice how she was playing with my hair.
Something I had never agreed to, but didn't complain about.
After all, the joke was on her, as I had more than I bargained for in a warmer windshield than the tree trunk and an even better sunblocker.
The best spot was elevated, and even better, remained mine.
Isabella: "Laze around, huh? I don't buy it. I think you're a little too focused for that."
Miwen: "You got me."
I had several reasons for suggesting this training to Mia and Liz.
The first was that it would be a meaningful way for Liz to train her [Earth Magic], something she sorely lacked due to how powerful she was.
She could easily move the entire surface layer of the Kingdom if she wanted.
There weren't mountains, and if there were, it would be hard to justify using them for training.
So, I suggested the treadmill.
Not only did she have to train her control by maintaining its shape, even underground and out of sight, but she'd also have to constantly move, reinforce, and reshape it thanks to Mia's steps.
Even though it was a small object, with so many different tasks attached, it became a good way to train various aspects of her [Earth Magic].
As for Mia, the idea was to reduce the time she spent running around the Kingdom, as the stair treadmill was more efficient for training both her speed and her leg strength.
While I could think of better ways to train her legs, I was worried about Mia's tendency to over-exercise and decided to introduce them slowly, when and if necessary.
But Isa saw through me instantly.
Isabella: "It's the sight, isn't it?"
Miwen: "Right again."
Finally, my reason for suggesting this was that I wanted to watch Mia.
Her morning look, more specifically.
Something about the way the morning light kissed her skin, how naturally it blended with her white hair, or how her slim figure was so clearly outlined made me fall in love with it at first sight.
However, it was a rare and difficult sight, due to her always running around the Kingdom at whatever Mach speeds.
With her stuck running in front of me, I could watch her all I liked.
Though from the position I was in, most of the time I only saw her back, only rarely getting brief glances of her face, unintentionally, but justifiably earning myself the "Pervert" label from my cute protege.
Isa: "You're too much. I don't know if I should reprimand you or-"
Mia: "Reprimand him. It's always the correct choice."
Fifty minutes had passed since the start of her training.
Mia was sweaty all over, but her breath was steady, and rather than exhausted, she looked lively.
Enough to mess with me, at least.
Though, of course, that had its consequences.
I dangled her towel before her eyes, expertly preventing her from grabbing it.
The anger in her eyes started to rise, and before it had reached its boiling point, I jokingly suggested that I help her wipe the sweat off.
A suggestion I knew she'd be too bashful to accept, even though we had already done so much worse.
To my surprise, however, she accepted it with a terrifying smirk on her face.
In response, both Isabella and I looked at each other, our faces full of shock and confusion.
In that brief moment, Mia snatched the towel and banished me to the other side of the tree.
Not satisfied with expelling me from my spot, I was forced to hear her relieved voice as Isabella took the position I had suggested.
Isabella: "I think we're done..."
Mia: "Hrnm... Thanks."
I tried to peek once or twice, but after being told it'd be the last thing my eyes would ever see, I only dared to do it a couple more times.
My punishment started as soon as they were done, but all things considered, it was worth it.
Also, their mercy was quite high today, and it didn't take them long to have enough.
So, after everything was said and done...
Isabella: "I'll be going then. Bye-bye."
Unfortunately, Isabella had plans to watch a movie with Anna, Claire, and a few other girls and couldn't join us for the rest of the day.
Even though she still had an hour or so to spare, she saw Anna heading to the cafeteria early and decided to join her.
Her sad little goodbye was wasted, though, as all things considered, she wouldn't be missing much.
With Isa gone, Mia and Liz accompanied me to the workshop.
Although more faces than ever with Nissa, Jackie, and Beatrice, the workshop was as quiet as ever.
Miwen: "Yo!"
The three women were solely focused on their research and barely recognized our presence.
Other than earning Nissa and Jackie's brief glance of recognition before they returned their attention to their desks, my greeting fell on deaf ears.
Both were completely unbothered, caring little for my existence.
Their focus was absolute.
Unable to lift the tense atmosphere of the dark workshop, I did as Liz told me and placed my hand on her chest.
Incredibly, even that unusual display wasn't enough to catch their eyes.
Mia: "I'll be waiting outside."
Though I couldn't tell if it was out of jealousy, impatience, or boredom, Mia didn't stay for more than five minutes.
Meanwhile, I was too suspicious and confused to say anything.
While I'd normally be happy to play with Elizabeth, she had expressed many times how much she didn't care about sexual affairs.
She even explicitly told me how she would refuse any orders about it.
So, while making the most of the opportunity, I questioned her change of heart.
Liz: "Remember what the First Son told you? That the Kingdom would continue to evolve alongside your soul?"
Miwen: "Yes?"
After a certain number of residents, maybe a hundred or so, I stopped getting new special buildings unlocked.
It bothered me a little, since I thought maybe I had already unlocked everything, but the First Son corrected me about it back when we were in the Infinite Hotel.
He said that the Events force me into situations that strengthen my soul through the experiences I'd live, and that this was a hidden requirement for unlocking everything in [Gacha Kingdom Building].
The citizens and their power were my Gift's building blocks, but as the king, my soul was its supporting pillar.
[Gacha Kingdom Building] could only grow if the pillar was strong enough to allow it, even if it already had the necessary building blocks.
Thus, I only unlocked the special building for reaching 500 citizens after finishing and claiming the rewards for Isabella's Event.
[Ars Collegium
Citizens with corresponding or opposite abilities can strengthen each other by registering and sharing their unique views on this facility.
At level one, only two citizens may experience the facility at the same time.
Only one Ars Collegium may exist.
Cost: 1000000 Kingdom Points.]
An absurd cost, but my daily income of Kingdom Points was close to 70000, so it wouldn't take long for me to save up to buy it if I really wanted to.
Though I did build the training center, one of the previous buildings I had unlocked, I decided to keep a high reserve of Kingdom Points, since I had also unlocked something slightly concerning after Isa's event.
[Kingdom Anomalies].
From their description, these were like [Events] that I couldn't accept or not; once their timer hit zero, they would happen.
What that entails, specifically, I couldn't know for sure.
But it was something worth preparing for.
Liz: "Well, since half of your soul is disconnected from the other half, this change has further distanced them. In the worst-case scenario, without a connection, your soul might be completely corrupted by mine. Invalidating our contract. Causing my soul inside your vessel to eat yours."
Miwen: "Oh... And the only way to prevent that is by having me massage your breasts?"
Liz: "No. I need to reconnect our soul and reinforce the thread to their original vessel. It just so happens that I stored your soul in my heart, and Your Majesty can't stop your fingers."
Perhaps Elizabeth's lack of sexual desire made her unaware of the limits of the human body.
In such circumstances, there wasn't any man alive who could stop themselves.
It was the most golden opportunity, and I would never let it pass.
Miwen: "What about your soul, though? Does it not risk being corrupted?"
Liz: "Ahaha! Surely you jest, Your Majesty. I've already told you, as a human, not in a million years will your soul corrupt this devil's."
Miwen: "Alright, just checking."
I felt like the old Elizabeth wouldn't let me touch her so casually, even with such a reason.
She'd probably reprimand me a lot, or at least threaten to call it all off if I didn't focus.
However, even if I had my doubts, since she always reinforced the idea that my soul couldn't change hers, I decided not to press the issue.
I had more pressing stuff on my mind.
Miwen: "Braless?"
Liz: "No. But they are lacey, and of a thin fabric, if that sates your curiosity."
My right hand rested beneath her left breast, half covering it.
While I was allowed to do as I pleased, she asked me not to move it from that position, as it would interfere with her work.
That limited me quite a bit, and I could only press up against her chest to feel its weight and shape.
Most of my movements were done with my fingers only.
As they traced through the thick fabric of her uniform, they often found its buttons and the pockets that added extra layers, making it hard for me to tell what I was touching.
Miwen: "I think your right nipple is slightly higher than the left..."
While I didn't have any reason to use my right hand, I also had no restrictions placed on it.
So, of course, I had to compare the twins.
Liz: "Uhn. Perhaps."
Miwen: "Hm? What was that?"
For a second, I thought I had heard a soft moan coming from the Demon Queen's mouth.
Liz: "...Forgive me. While your technique is surely impressive, my reaction was caused by the maintenance procedure. You might hear such uncouth sounds again."
I didn't buy that for a second.
If anything, it only gave me more reason to continue.
But before I could call her out on it…
Beatrice: "Oh... I'll need more Arcanum..."
Those words, even from across the room, sent shivers down my spine.
Thanks to a breakthrough Beatrice had made before her death, she was able to select which memories she wanted to sacrifice as fuel for Arcanum.
However, by that time, it was already too late, and she had lost most of what was important to her.
Since I learned of the sacrifices required to use Arcanum and Priscilla recovered those memories for her, I forbid Bea from using it again.
I felt a little remorseful that her research stalled because of my decision, but I never regretted it.
After all, it was for the best.
Although this ended up changing, thanks to the Endless and the memories of other people's lives that they forced into my brain.
There were a lot of memories I'd like to forget, and ironically, using Arcanum was the best way to remove them.
So, Bea and I struck a deal, and I became her fuel source.
Beatrice: "Do you mind?"
Elizabeth: "Not at all."
While there was someone else they should've asked for permission, neither seemed concerned about it.
Bea took her seat next to me, placed her hand on my head, and started her incantation.
A few seconds later, I was forced into a half-asleep state.
Beatrice: "What can I take?"
Miwen: "Ellie's, I guess."
It was hard to collect my thoughts or keep focus in this state.
At least I could still feel Liz's breasts, though.
Hell, now I had Bea's pressing on my arm for comparison, too.
Although that would be a little mean since...
There wasn't much competition, to say the least.
Beatrice: "Oh, speaking of which, sorry about what happened during your birthday."
Miwen: "What... Happened?"
Beatrice: "Forget it."
I wasn't sure what she was talking about.
Whatever the case, I continued to think about the memories I wanted to transform into Arcanum, and Bea snatched all of their power for herself.
Then, out of nowhere, Nissa stood up from her desk.
With heavy strides, she reached for a closet and changed into a bunny girl outfit.
Miwen: "Don't tell me..."
Nissa: "Shit... Pyon~ Pyon~"
Out of nowhere, Nissa took a seat by my side and affectionately nuzzled her head against my only free arm.
Nissa: "It's that damn curse... Ugh..."
That much was obvious.
What I didn't understand, however, was why she chose me.
Jackie was way closer to her, and yet, she didn't even walk a step towards her.
She came directly to me, as if it were the most obvious thing to do in this circumstance.
If that wasn't enough to complicate things...
While the demon messed with my soul, the witch with my brain, and the cursed woman with my body, naturally, out of nowhere, Mia entered the room.
Nissa's curse was bound to come undone in minutes.
Beatrice would soon have enough Arcanum.
And it wouldn't take Elizabeth more than an hour to finish her maintenance.
Had Mia entered the room five minutes earlier, she'd have seen the same scene she left with.
Ten minutes later, and it would be the same thing.
But no, she had to appear at the worst possible moment.
Mia: "...What are you doing?"
Things had escalated so quickly and so chaotically that I didn't even know where to start explaining.
Miwen: "I don't even know anymore."
Then, before I could gather my thoughts...
Bea: "Oh, did I mess up a recent memory?"
Liz: "It might've been my fault."
Honestly, it was all of us.
The girls were definitely taking things too far, especially Nissa, but what I was doing to Liz didn't help either.
Mia: "Right... Meet me at the cafeteria when you're done."
Miwen: "Will do..."
About an hour later, I was finally finished.
And promptly banished from the workshop, too.
They were happy to experiment on me, but as soon as that was over, I was too unserious to be welcomed there.
So, after that whole mess, I went to meet Mia.
Once I arrived, she gave me a pretty disapproving stare.
But since half of what happened wasn't my fault, she ended up forgiving me as we made our way to Marin's beach house.
It didn't take long to reach the beach from the workshop, as was the case with most things inside the Kingdom's Inner Walls.
The beach was Marin's territory, so whenever we went there, we had to pass by her home.
That usually meant staying for a few drinks, or something more, but this time, I had something else in mind.
Miwen: "So? Are your guests behaving?"
Marin: "So far so good."
The next problem on my schedule was a little something that happened yesterday.
A few people had crashed into the Kingdom during the festival for the Snow White Wolves, and before I could catch them, they scattered, causing all sorts of trouble for me and the girls.
Once I finally got them all in one place, I set up a place for them at the beach, under Marin's watchful eyes.
Miwen: "What about Marin? Is she behaving?"
Priscilla: "Of course. She's been great."
Marin: "Told ya."
Our party crashers were members of the Caravan.
They were scheduled to arrive a few days earlier, but as expected, they ran into some problems when leaving their base.
Big enough problems for the Merchant to be late.
I couldn't even start to fathom, obviously, but seeing as only half of them had arrived, and the rest were still fighting to distract their opponent, I could imagine things were pretty bad.
Still, one of my biggest worries was that they might've caused trouble with the Snow White Wolves if left unattended, and while they did a little of that, since it was a festival, it mostly resolved itself.
Although funnily enough, the arrival of the Caravan Members triggered a [Kingdom Anomaly].
Even though we had no persisting problems, due to their power, the difficulty was set at the highest.
Thankfully, while a rowdy bunch, they just saw an opportunity to have fun and took it.
In their place, I'd done the same.
Miwen: "Well, I can prepare a few things for you if you want. Just give me a list and I'll see what I can get done."
Priscilla: "Oh... Anything?"
Miwen: "If it's within my power..."
The moment the words left my mouth, Pris' eyes sparkled, and a smile as terrifying as Cassandra's formed on her face.
I thought she was better than the Merchant.
But I was wrong.
She was worse.
My careless words had sealed my fate.
In just a few minutes, she listed so many things that I had no choice but to start working on them immediately.
Thankfully, while numerous, each request was easy enough to accommodate, and before sunset, I had already given her everything she needed.
For the day, at least.